55 posts categorized "GPS and Mapping"

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

I don’t use Google Earth often and, although happy not to have to deal with disappearing Earths, didn’t really think much about it. Last week I got a link to a blog post by someone who has clearly thought about it a great deal.

Duane's hypothesis is rather intriguing, especially for Esri GIS users.

"Go large or go home" they say, so here goes. Here's my take on the new GooEsrigle relationship.

The world wide Geo-spatial industry will be turned on its head, 20th July 2015. I for one will be watching the Plenary live if anyone will stream it. If not all this, then at least Google Earth something something something.

.. Lock stock and several smoking barrels Google has purchased Esri, and likely this was late last year. If I had a spare several billion, I'd buy Esri just so Apple and Facebook couldn't….

Use of Google Earth Pro requires a valid license key. As of January 20, 2015, Earth Pro licenses are now free. After getting your Earth Pro license, you can register, download, install, and sign in to start using Earth Pro's advanced features.

If you do not have a key, use your email address and the key GEPFREE to sign in.

Monday, 06 April 2015

It isn’t unusual to look forward to a long weekend but Easter 2015 will be particularly memorable for me. Last Thursday was my last day working for The Warehouse Limited (TWL) after seventeen, would have been eighteen in July, years. Tomorrow, the first day of a new adventure.

Leaving The Warehouse, more than a job

TWL was well established when I joined in 1997 but had, still has, a ‘big small company’ feel. They’d not long been in the new Store Support Office. It was extended twice over the years I worked there, most recently the 4 story addition seen below. It was by far the largest organisation I’d worked for and one with a unique culture fostered by the founder, Sir Stephen Tindall.

Over the years my role — although similar — shifted between Property, Store Development, Operations and Retail Environment as the company evolved. There were lots of projects built, some which never happened and a few still to be realised. In part that is why I didn’t write about specific work but TWL were always supportive of the blog and the opportunities it created.

I saw a lot of change with people coming, going, and quite often coming back! One constant through all the change was working with a great group of people. It wasn’t an easy decision to move on but a unique opportunity was the motivation.

The new role, a new challenge

Although dismal eyesight ended my childhood ambition to be a Pilot I’ve always had an interest in aviation. Thus, a role focused on GIS & BIM — for design and operation — immersed in that world was rather appealing.

Although it will be a big change I’m looking forward to this new adventure. Flight plan filed, ready for take-off!

Wednesday, 30 January 2013

I’ve been using this app for a while and find it really does help get things done. NeatStreets combines smartphone geo-location, photos and social reporting to make it really easy to report community hazards. Categories include Litter, Graffiti, Flood Damage, Footpath, Parking, Potholes, Signage, Traffic & Street Lights, Trolleys & more.

For example: I noticed the summer heat had caused this bike path near my place to expand, crack & raise up. It is now about 100mm high and could be quite a hazard.

On the phone fire up NeatStreets, take a photo, geo-location pinpoints the spot (near enough or drag the pin on the map to refine), pick the type of report, add a bit of descriptive text, Send. All that takes a minute or two at most.

NeatStreets direct the report to the correct authority/organisation for the location & type of report. The recipients like it as get a detailed report, to send the correct response, and often have the NeatStreets response automated as part of their own incident management system.

You can see the reply and report status (fixed/not) on your phone or the NeatStreets website.

Reported, Sorted!

NeatStreets Australia and New Zealand

You can use it to report local defects in your neighbourhood - anything from broken footpaths and faulty streetlights to abandoned shopping trolleys. The service automatically keeps you informed of progress until the issue gets fixed.

UPDATE 2013-02-02: I contacted NeatStreets as noticed a minor typo in their “Tell a friend” message which will be fixed in the next update. Amusing that they noticed a typo I had missed — the red ‘t’ in first NeatStreets — in this post!

Sunday, 23 December 2012

Several years ago I blogged about finding Cadman Rd in Auckland & wondered if there were any place names with BIM (Building Information Model). Google maps showed just one in New Zealand: Bims Rd in a fairly isolated part of the South Island near Nelson Lakes.

Wednesday, 05 September 2012

Yay, Google Maps now has cycling directions for New Zealand and Map Maker tools so we can add updates.

Below you can see Google Maps suggested route from my suburb to the city. It routes cycles to the North Western Motorway (or freeway for US readers) in preference to a shorter suburban road route. Although cycles are not allowed on the motorway there is a cycle path beside it which is the safest way to town.

The current route misses a short section of cycle path near Henderson and in the city. You can use the Map Maker tools to fix this and improve the map for others. See the details at:

From the beaches of Goat Island and the slopes of Mount Eden to the hallowed soil of Eden Park, New Zealand is filled with both natural and man-made wonders. This week we’re bringing two new features to Google Maps in New Zealand that we hope will help Kiwis better explore their world: cycling directions and Google Map Maker. Biking routes improve the overall comprehensiveness and usability of the map, while the ability to contribute your local knowledge via Map Maker will help ensure that the maps remain accurate and up-to-date…

Tuesday, 20 March 2012

There aren’t many people in New Zealand but we have more cars/head than most (~2.5 million cars/4 million people). Then consider not far off half the population live in one city and it is squeezed onto a narrow isthmus between two harbours*. So we do have traffic and now so do our Google Maps (UPDATE 2012-04-13: and Google Earth):

Friday, 12 March 2010

New Zealand has moved to using a new, official topographical map series, Topo50. This is one of the most significant changes to New Zealand’s authoritative topographical maps since the 1930s.

The Topo50 map series has been developed to be compatible with international mapping systems and modern navigational technologies such as GPS. As a result, the Topo50 maps use different coordinates (latitudes and longitudes) of points to previous official maps. The difference is equivalent to an approximate 200 metre change in position. The maps are produced at 1:50,000 scale and are designed to help you navigate through remote areas.

On this site, you can find out why the change has been made, and what it means to you.

If you have a GPS system, you can update it simply by setting your GPS receiver to NZGD2000. If your GPS doesn't support that system, you can use the default datum setting of World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84). WGS84 is practically the same as NZGD2000 and means latitudes and longitudes from your GPS receiver will be compatible with those on the Topo50 maps.

Tuesday, 24 November 2009

TomTom recently upgraded their iPhone GPS application to “speak” road names rather than just generic instructions like “Turn Left, One Hundred Metres”. It uses a human voice combined with “computerised reading” to pronounce the street names.

Thursday, 27 August 2009

In the CADMAN Rd post I asked if anyone had been to BIM? Thanks to a vigilant reader who spotted a feature on the map closer than BIM, West Virginia I found out I have been to BIM, well Bims Rd. Even stranger, thanks to the miracle of GPS and a Garmin Etrex Legend, I know I was there at 11:35, 5th April 2006 and took a photo!

This is Bims Rd, Tasman New Zealand. It's shown dashed but is a forest access road on the satellite map

Wednesday, 26 August 2009

I attended an IPD/BIM meeting and thought it rather ironic that, due to stupid planning rules that allow you to build several new multi-story office blocks with insufficient visitor parking, I found a park in nearby Cadman Ave (No Exit)*.

I wondered if any New Zealand place names have BIM in them but Google shows the nearest is BIM, West Virginia, USA! Has anyone been there!? I can't as Streetview doesn't go that far!